Drain cock



April 28,1925. 1,536,019

' J7 F. KELLEY DRAIN CGCKY Filed Oct. 16. 1922 III)` 4 Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

JOHN r. KELLEY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRAIN cocK.

Application filed ctober 1G, 1922. Serial No.' 594,909.

To all whom it may concer-a Be it known thatv 1,2 JOHN F. Kennin?,` a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, Illinois, county of` 5 Cook, have invented a new and'usefulvlm-l provenien't in Drain Cocks, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to drain cocks for water circulating` systems, such as automobile radiators and the like, whereinr the drain cock is equipped with means for automatically releasing the water from the system when the atmospheric temperature would otherwise cause the water to freeze. The main objects of this inventionare to provide a drain cock having an'improved form and arrangement of 'part for normally closing" the liquid passage and which is adapted to automatically open the cock when acted upon byice formed within the liquid passage; to` provide adrain cock having a `fragile part arranged `to be fractured by the formationof ice within the cock so as to permit the draining of the system; to proter which is readily replaceable; tov provide a drain cock of the above character having an improved `fornroi heater arranged for automatic operation upon the openingofthe liquid passage so as toinelt any ice `which mayremain in the cock after the outlet has been opened; and to provide improved mechanism for automatically operating a signal when the system is drained.`

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein a a, a i

Figure l is a side elevation of a draincock embodyingl this invention. f a

40 FigureQ vis a side elevation of the same, taken from the left of Figure l. i

Figure 3 is a central vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.` j Figure 4; is acentral vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Figurel.

Figure 5 is a `diagrammatic view showing Vthe electric circuit7 including the heater and signal. g

Drain cocks embodying the present invenculating system wherein it `is desired to drain the system when the atmospheric temperature would otherwise cause the liquid to freeze,resulting in possible serious damage to the pipes.` The invention is particularly vide a fragile element of the above charac-` ti'on are adapted for use in any liquid ciradaptedfor use in connection with automobile radiators.

In the form shown. the drain cock comi prises a casingproviding a liquid chamber and having an outlet at its lower end, which is normally closed by a fragile element in the form of a replaceable receptacle adapted to be broken bythe formation of ice withiny the receptacle so as to automatically open the cock. Inorder to prevent the accumulation of ice within the cock after the outlet has been opened, an electric heater is arranged adjacent the liquid passage, and is controlled by a switch, which is automatically operated when the fragile element is broken. The switch also controls a signal which may be either visible or audible for` giving notice that the system is drained. Mechanism for operatingthe switch is arrangedwithin the casing in position to be released for closing the switch when the fragile element is broken.

i Referring to ther drawings, the drain cock is in the form of a fitting comprising a casing l, having a liquid passage 2 extending axially theretlu'ough, and having an outlet 3 at its lower end which is normally closed by a replaceable'fragile cup-shaped element 1i. Mounted on the casing, is an electric heater 5 arranged adjacent'the liquid pas sage 2, and being controlled by a switch 6, which is automatically operated by an improved form of mechanism 7. arranged within the casing. signal 8.

In the form shown the casing` l, comprises a central body part 9, and an enlarged base part l0 provided with a depending periph- Theswitch 6 also controls a a eral flange 11, which is interiorly threaded to receive a retaining ring l2, for detachably securing the fragile element 4i to the casing. `The upper end of the casing is formed toprovide a threaded nipplerl for attachment to the drain pipe, not shown, of the automobile radiator or other water circulating system. The nipple 13 is provided with the usual form of clamping nut 14. i Manual control of the liquid passage 2 provided by means of a plug valve r15, which is seated in a tapered opening 17 `extending transversely through the body part 9. Mounted at one end Vof the valve 15, is a loo suitable handle 18, whereby the plug valve may be manually turned to bring the central orifice 19 of the valve into and out of register with the liquid passage 2. The valve 15 is normally left open, so as to permit communication between the liquid passage and the fragile element l.

The cup-shaped fragile element L lits within the base part 10, so as to normally close the outlet 3 of the casing, and is provided at its upper end with an annular ange 20, whichA is held between gaskets 21 and clamped to the base part by the retaining ring 12. The cup-shaped element t forms a receptacle for receiving water from the liquid passage 2, and is preferably made of glass so as to be readily broken by the formation of ice within the receptacle to permit the automatic draining of the system.

The heater 5, which is arranged for automat-ic operation upon the opening of the cock to prevent the accun'iulation of ice within the liquid passage 2, is in the form of an electric unit, including an arcuate insulated block 22, on which is mounted a resistance elen'ient 23 arranged within an arcuate groove 2st formed in one side of the body part 9, adjacent the liquid passage 2.

The heater 5 is connected by conductors 25 to the switch (i, which is mounted on the base part 10 of the casing, and which includes a contact arm 26 mountedl at one end of a bell crank lever 27, which is journaled in a bearing 2S formed on the body part 9. The

other end of the bell crank 27 is connected to the switch operating mechanism T, which is arranged for ope ating` the bell crank to close the switch 6 upon the fracture of the fragile element 4.

The switch operating mechanism 7 is iu the form of a spring actuated plunger, including a hollow stem 29 slidably mounted in the lower end of the liquid passage 2 and having a head 30, which bears against the base of the fragile element 1. Communication between the liquid passage 2 and fragile receptacle 4 is provided through an orifice 31 formed in the hollow stem 29 adjacent its lower end, The fragile element e coacts with the head 30 to hold the plunger in a retracted position against the action of a helical spring 32 embracing` the stem 2S) and bearing between the base part 1.0' of the casing and a disc 33 lined upon the stem 29 by means of a pin 33.1. The disc 33 is connected to the bell crank 27 by a cable 34, which passes through a stuliing box 35 mounted inv the base part 10, so that when` the plunger is urged downwardly under the action of the spring 32, when the fragile element is broken, the cable causes the bell crank 27 to turn, so as to bring the Contact arm 2G into position for closingthe switch 6.

In order to permit the free passage of water into the cup-shaped receptacle i from the liquid passage 2, a breather tube 36 extends into the fragile receptacle through a stufiing box 37 mounted in the base part 10. The upper end of the breather tube, which is not shown in the drawings, eX- tends to a point above the normal level of the liquid in the system, as is well understood in the art, and its lower end extends downwardly through the disc 33 of the plunger in sliding engagement therewith.

The signal 8 may be of any desired forni. lVhen the drain cock is used on an automobile radiator the signal is preferably in the form of a small incandescent lamp, which may be mounted on the instrument board of the vehicle.

In operation, the plug valve 15 is normally left open so as to permit the water to circulate freely through. the hollow stem 29 of the plunger and into the fragile element 4l. Due to the exposure of the lower part of the cup-shaped receptacle 1, the water in said receptacle freezes before the temperature of the water in the system falls to` the freezing point, with the result that the fragile element -l is broken by the ice. The fracture of the fragile element t opens the cock to drain the system and releases the plunger 7 to operate the heater 5 and signal 8. If it is desired to replenish the system before replacing the fragile element t, the plug valve 15 is closed.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A. drain cock comprising a casing provided with a liquid chamber having an outlet, a fragile element arranged to normally close said outlet and adapted to be broken by the liquid in said chamber when said liquid expands during freezing, a signal, and operating mechanism for said signal normally held by said fragile element iny an inoperative position and arranged for release to operate said signal when said fragile element is broken.

2. A drain cock comprising a casing provided with a liquid chamber having an outlet, a fragile velement arranged to normally close said outletand adapted to be broken by the liquid in said chamber when said liquid expands during freezing, means for detachably securingsaid fragile element to said casing, a signal, and operating mecha4 nism for said signa-l normally held by said fragile element in an inoperative position and arranged for release to operate said signal when said fragile element is broken.

o. A drain cock comprising a casing pro- UvA vided with a liquid chamber having'an outletat its lowei` end, a cup-shaped fragile element forming a receptacle arranged to nory lease to operate said signal when said fragile element is broken.

4. A drain cock comprising a easing provided with a liquid chamber having an outlet, a fragile element arranged to normally close said outlet and adapted to be broken by the liquid in said chamber when said liquid expands during freezing, a signal, a spring pressed plunger arranged within said casing and normally held in a retracted position by said fragile element, said plunger being adapted for release when said fragile element is broken, and a connection between said plunger and signal for operat ing the latter upon the release of said plunger.

5. A drain cock comprising a casing provided with a liquid chamber having an outlet at its lowerend, a cup-shaped fragile element foi-ming a receptacle arranged to normally close said outlet and adapted to be broken by liquid in said receptacle when said liquid expands during freezing, a retaining ring arranged to detachably secure said fragile element to said easing, a signal, a spring pressed plunger arranged within said casing and normally held in a retracted `position by said fragile element, said plunger beingadapted to bereleased when said fragile element is broken, and a connection between said plunger and signal for operating the latter upon the release of said pluii` shaped fragile element forming a receptacle arranged to normally close said outlet and adapted to be broken by liquid in said receptacle when said liquid expands during freezing, a spring pressed hollow plunger slidably mounted in said liquid passage and having an opening providing communication between .said liquid passage and fragile receptacle, said plunger being normally held by said fragile element in a retracted position and being adapted for release when said fragile'element is broken, a signal, and a connection between said plunger and signal for operating the latter upon the release of said plunge v 7. A drain cock comprising a casing provided with a liquid chamber having an outlet, means arranged to normally close said outletand adapted to be acted upon by the liquid in said chamber for opening said outlet when said liquid expands during freez ing,`a1i electric heater arranged adjacent said liquid chamber, a switch controlling said heater, and operating mechanism for said switch normally held in an inoperative position and coacting` with said means so as to close said switch when said outlet is open.

f8. A drain cock comprising a casing provided with a liquid chamber having an outlet at its lower end, a cup-shaped fragile element forming a receptacle arranged to normally close said outlet and adapted to be broken by liquid in said receptacle when said liquid expands during freezing, an electric heating unit arranged on said casing adjacent said liquid chamber, a switch mounted on said casing for controlling said heat-ing unit, a spring pressed plunge-r arranged within said casing and normally heldin a retracted position by said fragile element, said plunger being adapted to be released when saidfragile element is broken, and a connection between said plunger and switch for closing the latter upon the release of said plunger. i

1 Signed at Chicago this 26 day of Sept.

JOHN F. KELLEY. 

